Josh Shapiro explores a county nondiscrimination ordinance

NORRISTOWN — The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chairman Josh Shapiro is exploring the idea of a nondiscrimination ordinance that is similar to the Fair Practices Ordinance in Philadelphia at their bi-weekly meeting Thursday.

The Nondiscrimination Ordinance would focus on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community and what Montgomery County can do to protect them, according to Shapiro.

County Solicitor Ray McGarry was charged with putting a team together to explore what options are available.

Chairman Shapiro said it could take months with periodical updates before a decision is reached on what can be done.

Area municipalities are also looking at ways to incorporate it on their own bylaws, said Shapiro.

As a co-sponsor of H.B. 300, Shapiro said the measure is similar to Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance for the freedom from discrimination in employment, housing and public places and defines “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression.”

Commissioner Bruce Castor Jr. said, “We are still at the information stage.”

The meeting also had a special “thank you” to the commissioners from the Plymouth Township officials for their ongoing support after Police Officer Bradley Fox’s death.

Plymouth Township Council Chairman Sheldon Simpson shared his gratitude with the commissioners for the encouragement and daily support after Fox’s death.

Fox was killed Sept. 13 while in foot pursuit of a suspect along the Schuylkill River Trail, near the intersection of Conshohocken and Ernest Station Roads, last year.

Fox’s wife Lynsay had their child, Brad Fox Jr., on Monday, March 25.

Joseph Lawrence, the Plymouth Township police chief, had District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman with him at the hospital that night, and Ferman made Lawrence change out of his painting clothes to speak to press, Lawrence joked.

“Everyone came together or we couldn’t have made it through,” said Lawrence.

Shapiro said he is proud of the leadership the Plymouth officials have demonstrated.

“We should be thanking Plymouth Township. You should not be thanking us,” Commissioner Bruce Castor Jr. said.

A brief message about the Montgomery County Centenarian event on May 1 was also a part of the opening announcements.

Joanne Kline, executive director of Montgomery County’s Office of Aging and Adult Services of Montgomery County, brought a centenarian to the meeting to promote the event being held in the beginning of May.

Sol Eskin is one of the youngest members of the centenarians and revealed four things about himself: Eskin is still mobile, can understand what’s going on, doesn’t take any medication and volunteers at Abington Memorial Hospital.